Individual pairs of telephone circuit wires are frequently terminated in telephone company central offices, distribution cabinets and customer premise locations, for example, utilizing multi-terminal connector blocks. Once terminated, these telephone circuit wires, usually comprised of cables containing narrow gauge insulated copper conductors, are grouped and then rerouted for appropriate distribution of the calls which they carry. Single connector blocks normally accommodate anywhere from 60 to 100 pairs of densely packed terminations, wherein multiple connector blocks are frequently contained in close proximity at a single location, e.g., one wall of a telephone switching room. Efficient utilization of mounting space is thus required since space within utility locations is traditionally at a premium.
As is known, traditional connecting blocks contain rows of connecting terminals for making terminations, wherein each of the rows of a connecting block includes multiple terminals. The connecting terminals may be in the form of insulation displacement connector (IDC) terminals because of the ease of use, in that insulated conductors are not required to be pre-stripped prior to insertion. In this manner multiple terminations can be made more quickly and efficiently.
When making multiple terminations at a connecting block, it is many times more efficient to determine an entire layout for the connecting block before making any terminations. This is because terminations are required to be made with a special tool and rather than proceed back and forth between dressing of the cables and the insertion process, it may be more desirable to dress all the wires prior to insertion.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an insulation displacement connector having the capability to accept and retain wires within a terminal prior to making the termination.